Save energy, save money

The Government’s recently-stated commitment to a major expansion of renewable energy is welcome. Let’s hope this time it is for real, and not just a re-announcement of previous pledges… Achieving 15% of total UK energy supply from renewables by 2020 – and 30% of electricity – would be a step toward the ‘green revolution’ that the Green Party has been advocating for decades.

However, there is an equally large challenge which must be tackled at the same time, to avoid the progress in renewables being undermined: The UK needs to greatly improve efficiency to reduce demand across all sectors. This will ensure that the switch to renewables can deliver significant carbon reductions. Otherwise, gains in expanding renewables could be lost to increasing demand and reliance on fossil fuels will remain high. And that would mean more expensive food and fuel for all of us, forever

The Government has a poor track record on energy efficiency and has failed to understand that endless growth in demand is incompatible with a switch to a green economy.

There is much the Government could do, but refuses to do. A policy of investing to save energy in all public buildings could dramatically cut energy consumption in the public sector – and reduce the wastage that taxpayers currently pay for. Requiring energy saving in the commercial sector could prevent offices and empty car parks blazing away all night – one of the most visible examples of energy wastage that contributes to the UK night skies being some of the worst polluted by wasted light in the whole of Europe. And, most crucial of all, we need to roll out a programme of free home insulation for all, so that our houses are no longer leaking sieves letting heat out all the time, pointlessly, into the sky.

As fuel and energy prices continue to soar, and the manmade climate change threat looms ever larger, the need to switch away from fossil fuels becomes ever more clear. The UK could pay a very high price for the Government’s contradictory and slow response to these challenges.

By contrast, the Green Party can be trusted to rise to this challenge, and implement the needed measures – measures that will save not only the planet but also the hard-earned money in your pocket.